Erde
/ˈeːrdə/feminine
The English word earth is translated into German as Erde.
Erde refers to the third planet of the Solar System. Depending on the context, it can also mean general rock-based material such as soil or ground.
Meaning: third planet of the Solar System (name)
Which one should you use?
While Erde can mean the planet, it also refers to the material 'soil' or 'ground' depending on the context. For a different meaning related to electrical grounding, the verb erden is used to mean connecting an electrical circuit to the ground.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to the planet or the ground, the noun Erde is used with the feminine definite article die.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈeːrdə/
Did you know?
- The verb erden can be used metaphorically in psychology to describe the process of 'grounding' oneself to reduce anxiety.
- The German phrase auf Erden is a poetic or archaic way to say 'on earth' and is frequently found in religious texts and old hymns.
- The phrase Erde shares a common ancestor with the English word 'earth', both descending from the Proto-Germanic word *erþō.
Examples in context
- Die Erde ist ein Planet.Earth is a planet.This sentence is useful for stating that Erde is a planet.Tatoeba #759010 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #681736 by Source_VOA
- Die Erde ist eine Scheibe.The earth is flat.This sentence is useful for stating that Erde is a disc.Tatoeba #3454711 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #6011146 by mailohilohi
- Erde an Tom: Ende und aus.Earth to Tom. Over and out.This sentence is useful for the phrase 'Earth to Tom' using Erde.Tatoeba #6668842 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #6587818 by Eccles17
- Die Erde ist der dritte Planet im Sonnensystem.The Earth is the third planet in the solar system.
- Die Umweltprobleme betreffen die ganze Welt.Environmental issues affect the whole world.
- Die Erde ist unsere gemeinsame Heimat.The earth is our common home.
- 574 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Julia are looking at a star map in a classroom.
- LukasIst die Erde auch auf dieser Karte?Is the Earth also on this map?
- JuliaJa, die Erde ist hier in der Mitte.Yes, the Earth is here in the middle.
- LukasSie sieht von hier sehr klein aus.It looks very small from here.
- JuliaUnsere Erde ist eben ein kleiner Punkt.Our Earth is just a small dot.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “earth” translations and entries Erde, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Erde, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
